NFL Notebook: Could Caserio’s expiring contract eventually lead to a front-office reunion in Foxborough?

In this week’s NFL Notebook, we take a spin around the AFC East to see where the rest of the division stands on the cusp of summer break, get a different perspective on Maurice Harris, Brian Flores, Joe Thuney and Phillip Dorsett from people who worked with them in the past, and let you know what New England’s rookies have been up to. But first, with a possible change looming in the Patriots’ front office, we wonder if they would bring back a familiar face.

1. While it now appears Nick Caserio is going to stick around one more year to fulfill his contract, it’s worth noting Scott Pioli remains conspicuously unemployed. Along with Bill Belichick, the former Patriots’ vice president of player personnel (who left the Falcons last month) helped create the team-building foundation that led to New England’s first dynasty. (Belichick and Pioli became the first de facto GM/coach tandem to win three Super Bowls in four years.) If Caserio does decide to leave after the 2019 season, could Belichick and the Patriots think about getting the band back together? While there could be other possibilities for the job, including Monti Ossenfort, it’s undeniable that Belichick and Pioli share a similar approach to crafting a football team. While Pioli said last month he was stepping away to “pursue other potential opportunities," he didn’t sound like he was shutting the door completely on the NFL, only saying he was “ready for a change.” While it could be a bit of a long shot, the returns of Ben Watson and Jamie Collins this past offseason have taught us to never say never when it comes to potential homecomings in Foxborough.

2. Had a great conversation with N.C. State receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator George McDonald this week about Jakobi Meyers. Turns out McDonald had a history with some current Patriots as well: he was on the Wolfpack coaching staff when Joe Thuney was at N.C. State, and with the University of Miami when Phillip Dorsett was with the Hurricanes. “I’m always proud of my guys when they succeed at the next level,” said McDonald. “I really didn’t have much connection with Joe, but he was a great offensive lineman for us and a great leader. For a guy to play as many games as he did the last couple of years at such a high level, it’s amazing. With Phillip, I had him at Miami, and he was a very respectful guy who was very hardworking.” I also asked McDonald if he believed Dorsett — who fielded punts on a part-time basis with Miami — had what it took to do it in the NFL. After all, we saw him do it a bit this spring. “I know he has elite speed — he worked on it in Miami, and caught some punts for us,” McDonald said of Dorsett. “That’s certainly a part of his game can be developed, and if he does that, he’ll have success.”

3. While everyone else has pretty much stepped away for the summer, the rookies are still getting schooled. The Patriots first-year players have stuck around and undergone a little orientation over the last week or so, which is fairly routine for this time of year. In previous years, players have been given an education about the history of the franchise, visited local hospitals, and gotten lessons from former Patriots on the value of things like saving money, as well as the dangers of social media.

4. A last spin around the AFC East before the start of summer vacation finds Buffalo focused on increased expectations, New York dealing the aftermath of an eventful offseason and Miami aiming for a culture change. Here are three division insiders with their take on each team they cover: